Page 96 of My Office Rival

“Man, I’ll never get sick of seeing that.” Miles grinned and sauntered into the room, wearing a surfing T-shirt and what I assumed were designer sweatpants.

“You know you’re rich, right? You could have this in every room of your penthouse.”

He waved a hand and walked over to grab a bottle. “Come help me pick the most expensive Scotch before he gets here.”

“I heard that,” Jonah called from the stairs.

Miles winked and poured three glasses. “Cheers.” We clinked, and all took hearty swallows of whiskey.

I closed my eyes as I savored it and opened them to find both of my friends staring at me, arms crossed.

“What? Why do I feel like this is an intervention?”

“Because it is.” Jonah dropped into a chair, and Miles followed. “Sit,” Jonah ordered.

“We spoke to our security team, and they were able to pull up location data, cell phone records, and some other interesting information,” Jonah said.

“All this based on a few texts?” My heart started to pound.

“We asked them to use whatever means necessary.” Jonah smiled, and it was more a baring of teeth. “And I told them not to worry about being ethical.”

“The number is registered to a man named Jax,” Miles said.

I fought for breath. “The oldest son in my foster family,” I said quietly. “He used to beat the shit out of me behind the bar where I worked.” The scar on my left arm twinged, and I rubbed at it.

Miles’s eyes flicked to it, and he winced. He’d seen the evidence during our morning runs.

“Yeah, well, he’s in Tennessee still. And based on his location data, he hasn’t left in four years,” Jonah said.

“So you can stop worrying,” Miles cut in. “No one is coming for you. He got arrested for an aggravated DUI and intent to distribute meth six months ago, and he’s been wearing an ankle bracelet ever since. He can’t leave the state without the police being alerted.”

My chest loosened slightly.

“And the others?” I asked roughly. Jax had been the worst offender, but his parents had been neglectful. And they had been the ones to go to prison when they were caught.

“Jason. They’re not getting out of prison any time soon. They had a freaking meth lab in their basement. That means serious federal charges,” Miles said gently.

“Did you think they were on their way after you for all these years?” Jonah actually sounded sympathetic.

I nodded shortly and took a gulp of whiskey. “I did. I really did.” I hung my head briefly and loosed a shuddering breath. They weren’t coming for me. I was safe. I could hardly believe it. The need for anonymity, security, and wealth had driven every decision I’d made for years.

“Now what?” Miles’s words mirrored my thoughts.

I looked at each of my friends. “Now, I get the girl.”

“Okay,what if you show up at her house while she’s packing and you do a grand gesture?” Miles asked, as he lay on the floor with his whiskey balanced on his stomach. I reclined on the couch, my thoughts a little fuzzy.

“You mean like the boom box thing?” Jonah asked, his tone crisp as ever.

“You are emotionally stunted,” Miles tossed back, as he did a crunch to take a sip of his drink.

“She is so not a boom box kind of girl,” I added. “She would slam the door in my face.”

“Have you texted her?” Jonah asked. He was surprisingly investedin the outcome of this, for someone who hated all things soft and emotional. Maybe it was the seven whiskeys he’d consumed.

“Nope. I mean, I’ve thought about it, but I haven’t.” I had been too scared that she wouldn’t respond.

“Do it,” Miles said decisively.

---